EUROSATORY NEWS IN BRIEF
17 Jun. 08. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the Italian vehicle manufacturer IVECO have signed a cooperation agreement on the development of a new military vehicle family in the weight class of 18 to 25 tons in Paris. For this class, there is a specific armed forces demand in Germany as well as in Italy. The two companies intend to serve this demand jointly in the future with highly protected two-axle and three-axle vehicles. „This agreement is vitally important for the expansion of our international network but also for the European desire for cross-border cooperation,“ declared Frank Haun, CEO and President of KMW and Pietro Borgo, head of the IVECO-business unit for military wheeled vehicles after the joint signature. „We will develop a vehicle family that, due to its standardized and modular concept, may be adapted to each specific demand of our national as well as international customers,“ they both explained. In a first step, the German market will be addressed in the Federal Armed Forces class 4 for Armoured Command-Control and Opertions Vehicles (GFF4) with the version 6×6 (i.e. three axles, six driven wheels). In Italy, the VTM-x-vehicle is simultaneously introduced in a 4×4 version. A prototype of the three-axle version is currently tested by the Federal Armed Forces. A two-axle variant will be derived from this model and will this year already be available as prototype for trial purposes. Depending on the customer requirements, the serial production delivery of the first vehicles may already start from 2009 on. The vehicle family is particularly characterized by its high level of protection against all common threats in the ongoing international NATO and EU operations like in Afghanistan, by an extraordinarily high mobility, a high vehicle payload as well as by a simple and reliable suppliability which is ensured due to the use of standardized components.
19 Jun 08. John Stretton, Head of Government & Military Sales at Land Rover Ltd showed BATTLESPACE an example of a Command Post vehicle sold to the French Army. The order for 600 vehicles was placed in 2007 for delivery over two years. It brings the total number of Land Rovers in Government & Military service in France to 4000. John Stretton also confirmed that Pakistan had recently renewed its ongoing contract for military Land Rovers up to 2010. 9000 vehicles have been supplied since 1983. He also confirmed that Land Rover would be responding to the RFI issued by Holland for new vehicles as well as the new Requirement in the USA for 2000 vehicles capable of being transported internally in the CV-22 Osprey. Land Rover showed a 6×6 vehicle on the Stand which is developing considerable overseas interest as well as an armoured Discovery 3 vehicle. He also confirmed that Land Rover’s had overall sales in 2007 of 237,000 vehicles. Land Rover is also a major participant in the MoD’s OUVS Programme. John Stretton also told BATTLESPACE that the uprated Defender 100 to 4.5 tonnes would be available next year.
19 Jun 08. On June 19th 2008, during Eurosatory exhibition, AMZ-KUTNO, a Polish vehicle manufacturer has signed with Renault Trucks Defense an industrial cooperation agreement for the production of the AMZ armoured TUR2 vehicle based on the motorized Sherpa 3 chassis. The initial market targeted is 1000 units.
11 Jun 08. BAE Systems signed a final legally binding agreement to sell its current 50% shareholding in Flagship Training Limited (“FTL”) to VT Group (LSE: VTG.L) as part of the larger shipbuilding joint venture agreement between the two companies. Portsmouth, UK-based FTL is one of Europe’s largest military training companies. (Source: DEFENCEnet Daily)
Jun 08. Racal Acoustics launched its first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Rugged Terminal Adapter at Eurosatory in Paris later this month. The adapter, which is specifically designed for military use, is one of the first of its kind on the market and makes use of ex